Schmidt files appeal Monday, December 19, 2011 by SUSAN MANNThe lawyer representing Durham-area farmer Michael Schmidt will be arguing for leave to appeal his conviction and sentence of raw milk sales and distribution on April 25, 2012.Karen Selick, litigation director for the Canadian Constitution Foundation, says they have to argue that the case is important enough for the Court of appeal for Ontario to consider it. “A regulatory offence is considered to be pretty minor so they don’t give us an automatic right to appeal,” she says. “We have to demonstrate that it’s important enough for the Ontario Court of Appeal to spend its time on.”Schmidt was first acquitted of 19 charges related to raw milk sales and distribution in January 2010 by Justice of the Peace Paul Kowarsky but then convicted by Justice Peter Tetley of 15 of those charges in September after the province and Grey Bruce Health Unit appealed the initial acquittal. Schmidt was sentenced in November to a fine of $9,150 and one year of probation.One reason given in the written motion for special grounds to appeal was that Schmidt was acquitted of the charges at the trial but then convicted after the province and health unit appealed.In addition the judgment introduces uncertainty into the law making it impossible for people in similar situations as Schmidt to determine whether they are breaching the law or not. As for some of the grounds for appeal, it says in the written motion the judge erred in his interpretations of various terms, such as ‘distribute,’ ‘plant,’ ‘distributor,’ and ‘processing.’ The judge also made mistakes in questions relating to the law of contract. In addition the judge erred “in holding Mr. Schmidt did not have standing to advance constitutional claims on behalf of raw milk consumers,” the written motion says. BF Program change disappoints tender fruit growers Travel clampdown
New Holland Marks 50 Years of Twin Rotor Innovation Friday, October 10, 2025 New Holland is celebrating 50 years of leadership in twin rotor harvesting technology, a milestone that began with the introduction of the TR70 combine in 1975. This machine transformed agriculture by bringing the world the concept of twin rotor threshing and... Read this article online
Farmland Values Climb Across the Prairies-Manitoba Leads, Ontario Holds Steady Friday, October 10, 2025 Canadian cultivated farmland values rose by an average of 6.0 per cent in the first half of 2025, according to the mid-year farmland values review by Farm Credit Canada (FCC). This marks a modest acceleration compared to the first half of 2024, which saw a 5.5 per cent increase. Over... Read this article online
Canada Post Strike Continues to Threatens Agri-Businesses and Rural Communities Thursday, October 9, 2025 The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is calling on the federal government to take swift action to end the ongoing Canada Post strike, warning that the disruption is causing serious harm to small businesses – including many in the agriculture sector. “The government’s... Read this article online
Gleaner T Series Combine Updates Thursday, October 9, 2025 Gleaner continues to advance harvest technology with its new T Series combine, delivering major improvements in power, reliability, and ease of operation. Designed with the farmer in mind, the T Series focuses on performance, accessibility, and cutting-edge precision tools for... Read this article online
Ontario Invests $41M to Boost Agri-Food Innovation Wednesday, October 8, 2025 The Ontario government has announced an investment of more than $41 million over the next four years to enhance and modernize infrastructure under Agricultural Research and Innovation Ontario (ARIO). This initiative, part of the province’s plan to safeguard Ontario’s agri-food sector,... Read this article online